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Topic Review (Newest First)

11-15-2012 03:51 PM

AllCarFan

what springs would you suggest?

11-15-2012 03:16 PM

Buickboy

tires and a solid alignment will yield the best improvements IMO. I had those struts paired with a set of sportlines and even those werent a great combo. Im sure theyll be fine with less of a drop/ better spring rate, I was trying to band-aid a shitty spring choice. nice find on that price for sure

11-15-2012 08:36 AM

AllCarFan

GUys, my mind was made up for me the other evening. I still intend on putting the car on a diet. As I went to the Tokico website to research some product for my business, there was a link for "70% off select items." Low and behold, their D-Spec/HTS adjustable shocks and struts were marked down from $968 to $318....for a 2005 Focus. These are the same ones that C-F-M sells for $759. Total with shipping was $346. I just could not pass up that deal!

11-12-2012 04:38 PM

AllCarFan

where should I be replacing the poly bushings? My sway bars have them. I assume the control arm bushings can be replaced? what else?

11-12-2012 01:57 PM

Mr.Bergner

Was just going to jump in and +1 the poly bushings. I had a very similar setup as you when I did mine and it surprised me how much difference they made!

11-12-2012 12:38 PM

mac.mogul

It sounds to me like you have a decent set up as it is. From here I would say to go with poly bushings all around, maybe a stiffer lower motor mount, adjustable camber/alignment hardware (An alignment can make a huge difference in handling) Lose some extra weight on the car. A CF hood isn't really going to help you much, but ditching the backseat and relocating the battery will make a huge difference. They key is to have as much weight as possible below the highest point of the suspension and have as much of the existing weight as possible placed inside of the wheelbase.

Lighter wheels will help a little, but its not worth the expense if you like the wheels you have. Tires are tricky because you can't really test them out before you buy. It sounds to me like you still want the car to be comfortable so a high response, stiff sidewall tire may not be the best choice for you. You can get grippy tires with a softer sidewall for comfort, but you sacrifice responsiveness and a poor responding tire can make the best suspension setup go to waste.

Adding in:
At the age of your car, I would recommend replacing bushings in the steering rack if they have not been replaced yet. The OE bushings are made of a generic kind of rubber and deform/disintegrate over time. This will improve steering feel and responsiveness and I think responsiveness is key for what you're wanting.

11-12-2012 12:09 PM

rambleon84

Quote:

Originally Posted by AllCarFan

Where is the best spot to look up some lightweight 17" wheels. I dont think I can go smaller than that and clear my brembos.

tirerack.com is one of the easier ones to find weight and other specs but there are other resources out there as well.

I am not 'unhappy' with either. However, i am sure that both could be better. You are right, until I can get a good measurement on the sway bars and figure out the spring rates, it is liike shooting in the dark.

That all being said, for now, I will do my reasearch on my current parts and put the car on a big diet. If I drop a few hundred pounds, these questions may no longer apply.

Thanks so far to everyone's input.

11-12-2012 11:35 AM

Geezer

1) You really have to have a baseline to start from and that's knowing the simple things like your current spring rates, sway bar diameters etc. It's hard to recommend anything if one doesn't know how what might be suggested stacks up to what you have.

2) Ride quality and handling rarely go hand in hand. One persons ride tolerance will be, in most cases, quite different than someone else's. Butt-o-meters very significantly. Not knowing you tolerance level makes it harder to make recommendations as well. In general, low spring rates result in better ride quality and high spring rates offer better handling. For the street there are some practical limitations as road conditions can turn a stiffly sprung track carver into an uncontrollable menace on the street.

3) Based on your initial comments, I'm guessing you're unhappy with either the ride quality or the handling of your current setup. Can you be more specific of what you like and dislike with your current set-up?

4) Suspension setup, especially for a street driven car, is a series of compromises. There is not a perfect suspension out there be it expensive coilovers or whatever. You need to establish your desires/criteria in order of importance and be willing to compromise on those on the bottom of the list. If your list has only two requirements on it (say handling then ride quality or the reverse), addressing the first criteria will mean the second will have to be compromised.

11-12-2012 11:08 AM

AllCarFan

Where is the best spot to look up some lightweight 17" wheels. I dont think I can go smaller than that and clear my brembos.

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